What is the Ideal Arrow and Broadhead Choice for Elk?

[mulie hunter]

It's My first Time hunting Elk, I'm wondering what you seasoned Elk hunters would consider to be a good Arrow and Broadhead to use for Elk? I'm thinking of using Carbon Express CX 400 Arrows And thinking about using a G5 Montec 100 grain Broadhead. I'm open to all suggestions.

[stalkincoues]

You'll get a lot of answers on this I am sure. I'd get a heavier arrow and on the stiffer end of the spectrum followed up by a cut on contact SHARP broadhead. Depending on your setup; I.E. bow weight, draw length, arrow length, and point weight, will need to be taken into consideration for which arrow spine is best. I'd suggest a Full Metal Jacket, or Axis with a 125 grain G5 Striker broadhead. The arrows are thinner and slicker than most which means less resistance/better penertration. The Strikers are razor sharp out of the packs, and the heads aren't bad. Plus they fly very well.

[king4wd]

Last Elk I killed was with a a 400 gr Carbon Express with a 100 gr 4blade muzzy. Worked good for me but it was 10 yards quartering away. No shoulder blade to worry about.

 

I've heard of folk using just about anything on them. The owner of Prescott Valley Archery has praised the slick tricks in conversation. Just seems too small for me.

 

For an arrow, I'd like to try a whack with the Easton Axis N-fused 500 gr. Just my $.02.

[IHunt2live]

That set up you have sounds good to me, not the one I will use but it will work. You will get plent of responces on which one is the best but I don't care what set up you use, shot placement is the most importent. Put it in the right place and anything will work. Heck native americans used sharp rocks and sticks.

[krp]

Spine is everything. Once you buy your arrows and have them cut, everything else must match that setup. Bow poundage will only have a small window of correct stability and the head weight has to match also.

 

That's why if you have your bow set at say 67lbs and you buy 3 different brands or weights of arrows and use say a 100 gr head, one arrow setup will shoot better than the others. Not because that brand is better but because it is 10.3 grs per inch and another is 8.7 and another is 9.6. That's the one that is spined best for your bow at 67lbs. Change the poundage and one of the others will probably shoot better.

 

This is a simple example and there's alot into it. Here's why I mention it.

 

You luck out and just happen to hit the perfect spine node right off the bat but decide 70 lbs are better than 67, crank it up, now you have fliers, you're under splned. You decide 125 gr heads are better, underspined. You decide to go with a heavier arrow but use the same 100 gr head, fliers get worse the farther out you shoot, overspined.

 

Spine charts are setup for 100gr heads typically.

 

If you are going to go with a heavier arrow out of your spine for your poundage you will need to use a heavier head to readjust the spine.

 

Once you decide and buy your arrows and head weight, tuning a bow really is as simple as setting the rest and then the poundage of your bow to be optimum for that combo. Don't get locked in on a certain poundage, there's only one true weight for that combo.

 

Incorrectly spined arrows will not hit square and lose penetration. Underspined arrows at closer range, stablizing out farther. Overspined continuing to move out horizontaly the farther out they go. Fliers, horrible wounding things. If your max distance is short, then overspined is not so bad but if you're going to try a longish shot it's worse than underspined.

 

A correctly spined arrow will out penetrate and be more accurate than an incorrectly spined arrow going faster.

 

Any arrow weight you shoot out of a bow set at the same poundage, will start out with the same KE and hit the target at the same distance with the about same KE. A heavier arrow will have a slight momentum advantage but not worth worrying about. Which ever one is spined correctly will out penetrate the other.

 

With all that said the broadhead is what really matters, The bow's the engine. the arrow's the vehicle and the broadhead is what is being delivered. I like a good sharp fixed head that flies like my fieldtips and there is alot of good ones out there these days, your choice of G5's is fine. I like Slick Tricks but have seen good results from other heads.

 

Unless you are going to use a head that is different than a 100 gr, go with what's on the spine chart and then poundage tune your bow. If you're going to use a heavier or lighter head you need to think ahead before you buy and cut your arrows or you'll be chasing tune forever.

 

Kent

[youngbuck]

I use axis 340's w/ a 100gr montec. My bull was quartering away pretty hard @ 63 yards. The arrow entered behind the last rib, and the broadhead just barely broke the skin on the opposite shoulder. Good tough heavy arrow and a tough sharp broadhead is what i would suggest.

[jamaro]

400 FMJ's and 100 grain Silver Flames...

 

J

[Guest 300ultramag.]

It's My first Time hunting Elk, I'm wondering what you seasoned Elk hunters would consider to be a good Arrow and Broadhead to use for Elk? I'm thinking of using Carbon Express CX 400 Arrows And thinking about using a G5 Montec 100 grain Broadhead. I'm open to all suggestions.

 

 

 

Regardless what you do... you better do it quick! If your just now thinking about a specific arrow and broadhead set up, your already behind the 8 ball..

 

Its all about confidence.... I suggest buying 2 different brands of arrows that are similar in spine, weight , length. sight them in and once youve found the arrow that fits you best then practice shooting fixed blade broadheads.

ie. 4 blade muzzys are BAD TO THE BONE! (Oh yeah buy a dozen of the better of the 2 aroows previously mentioned)

 

 

 

I would suggest Easton FMJs

And Gold Tip XT hunter

[mulie hunter]

It's My first Time hunting Elk, I'm wondering what you seasoned Elk hunters would consider to be a good Arrow and Broadhead to use for Elk? I'm thinking of using Carbon Express CX 400 Arrows And thinking about using a G5 Montec 100 grain Broadhead. I'm open to all suggestions.

 

 

 

Regardless what you do... you better do it quick! If your just now thinking about a specific arrow and broadhead set up, your already behind the 8 ball..

 

Its all about confidence.... I suggest buying 2 different brands of arrows that are similar in spine, weight , length. sight them in and once youve found the arrow that fits you best then practice shooting fixed blade broadheads.

ie. 4 blade muzzys are BAD TO THE BONE! (Oh yeah buy a dozen of the better of the 2 aroows previously mentioned)

 

 

 

I would suggest Easton FMJs

And Gold Tip XT hunter

I don't think I'm behind the 8 ball, I've been Bowhunting for years, I've never been drawn for Elk though. As For Arrows I Have Carbon Express CX 400 29" 8.9 grains, Easton Carbon Excel 29" 9.5 grains, Beman Black Max MFX Arrows 29" 9.5 grains. I have Shuttle T-Lock broadheads 100 grain and just ordered the G5 Montec 100 grain, Also have the Rage 2 blade 100 grain, Rocket Steel heads, but reading the other post I think I will stick with a fixed blade for Elk. I Truly appreciate all the advice just wanted to see what has worked for others on Elk , since the biggest game I've hunted so far is deer.

[TwoGuns]

It's My first Time hunting Elk, I'm wondering what you seasoned Elk hunters would consider to be a good Arrow and Broadhead to use for Elk? I'm thinking of using Carbon Express CX 400 Arrows And thinking about using a G5 Montec 100 grain Broadhead. I'm open to all suggestions.

 

 

 

Regardless what you do... you better do it quick! If your just now thinking about a specific arrow and broadhead set up, your already behind the 8 ball..

 

Its all about confidence.... I suggest buying 2 different brands of arrows that are similar in spine, weight , length. sight them in and once youve found the arrow that fits you best then practice shooting fixed blade broadheads.

ie. 4 blade muzzys are BAD TO THE BONE! (Oh yeah buy a dozen of the better of the 2 aroows previously mentioned)

 

 

 

I would suggest Easton FMJs

And Gold Tip XT hunter

I don't think I'm behind the 8 ball, I've been Bowhunting for years, I've never been drawn for Elk though. As For Arrows I Have Carbon Express CX 400 29" 8.9 grains, Easton Carbon Excel 29" 9.5 grains, Beman Black Max MFX Arrows 29" 9.5 grains. I have Shuttle T-Lock broadheads 100 grain and just ordered the G5 Montec 100 grain, Also have the Rage 2 blade 100 grain, Rocket Steel heads, but reading the other post I think I will stick with a fixed blade for Elk. I Truly appreciate all the advice just wanted to see what has worked for others on Elk , since the biggest game I've hunted so far is deer.

 

I think you will be fine with what you have. I think the shuttle t's are great for elk. the last two years, I have shot/killed two elk with shuttles t's and have seen great results. I use the 125 grain heads though.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

It's My first Time hunting Elk, I'm wondering what you seasoned Elk hunters would consider to be a good Arrow and Broadhead to use for Elk? I'm thinking of using Carbon Express CX 400 Arrows And thinking about using a G5 Montec 100 grain Broadhead. I'm open to all suggestions.

 

 

 

Regardless what you do... you better do it quick! If your just now thinking about a specific arrow and broadhead set up, your already behind the 8 ball..

 

Its all about confidence.... I suggest buying 2 different brands of arrows that are similar in spine, weight , length. sight them in and once youve found the arrow that fits you best then practice shooting fixed blade broadheads.

ie. 4 blade muzzys are BAD TO THE BONE! (Oh yeah buy a dozen of the better of the 2 aroows previously mentioned)

 

 

 

I would suggest Easton FMJs

And Gold Tip XT hunter

I don't think I'm behind the 8 ball, I've been Bowhunting for years, I've never been drawn for Elk though. As For Arrows I Have Carbon Express CX 400 29" 8.9 grains, Easton Carbon Excel 29" 9.5 grains, Beman Black Max MFX Arrows 29" 9.5 grains. I have Shuttle T-Lock broadheads 100 grain and just ordered the G5 Montec 100 grain, Also have the Rage 2 blade 100 grain, Rocket Steel heads, but reading the other post I think I will stick with a fixed blade for Elk. I Truly appreciate all the advice just wanted to see what has worked for others on Elk , since the biggest game I've hunted so far is deer.

 

 

My bad from your initial post i assumed you were a first time Bow hunter....

If youve been bow huntin for years then..... why bother changin ur set up?... just shoot a fixed blade and keep on, keepin on..... ya dig. Just practice shooting fixed blades and spin them out with all your arrows!

I was huntin with a 10 yo last year who dropped a 340 class bull with a beman arrow and a muzzy 3 blade the bull didnt go 70 yds.

[mulie hunter]

300ultramag, I guess reading my first post you could get that impression. Anyway I purchased a PSE Bow Madness not to long ago, I'm getting it dialed in, and in the off season I've always loved to try out new "set-up's". It keeps me out practicing and by the time Bow season starts, I'm usually confident I got the right gear to do the job.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

guilty as charged im always buying the latest and greatest stuff... so I cant judge for changing your setup.... I do it everytime i have extra $.

[HEADACHE]

I killed both my bulls with the same setup

Easton Epic (c2) arrows 300 heavy hunting shafts (I believe these are very durable and accurate for small money)

Rocket (now trophy ridge) Steelheads in 100gr. Broken ribs on the way in AND broken ribs on the way out. (They fly quietly and penetration is outstanding! I have yet to have one come apart or break)

I have also killed a deer with same setup same results.

 

 

My two cents worth. . . . almost any arrow/broadhead setup you buy middle of the road to top of the line will work perfectly provided you do 2 things:

1. Get the head to fly consistently with your spine/speed/fletching/release/rest setup.

2. Practice with them until you are good enough to kill with them.

 

Keep in mind the best stuff you can buy will not kill an elk if you put a poor shot on him and yet you can kill one with a cedar shaft and a field tip with a perfectly placed shot.

 

 

 

 

 

[Red Rabbit]

Cedars equipped with Wensel Woodsmans